Poster panel



Sept. 12, 1950 POSTER PANEL Filed NOV. 20, 1944 A. L. BAUERS ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet l lll Sept. 12, 1950 A. BAUERS ETAL 2,522,157

POSTER PANEL Filed NOV. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 12 1950 POSTER PANEL Alexander L; Bauers and Max Rosner, Chicago, Ill., assignors to General Outdoor Advertising C0., lne., a corporation of New Jersey v ApplicationyNovemher 20, 1944, Serial No. 564,347

This inventionrelates lto 't an advertising dis' play structure or poster panel, commonly called a billboard. An objectof this invention is to provide an advertising' display structure which in appearance and function isidentical with the conventional poster panelbut which is provided with` means for the temporary displacement of the display panel for the purpose of replacing the advertising copy, poster, or display thereon. A further object of this invention is to providefa` poster panel with a rpanel removable for servicing, whichwis easily serviced without scaffolding or special long-handled brushes, and requires a minimumof operating equipment, and which may beoperated without'the use of any special tools or devicesto facilitate lowering vof the display panel fromits display position to a servicing position. Y

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a poster panel in which the danger of defacing or soiling the permanent border or frame of the display panel while changing the copyy or replacing the displaythereon is reduced.

4 A furtherrobject fof the invention is to provide a poster panel with a removable vdisplay panel which requires no clearanceabout `the poster panel to permit the display panel 'to beremove'd from its display position `adjacent theV poster panel frame to a servicing position beneath the display position. l y Another lobject ofthe invention is to provide a `poster panel 'whichcanbe mounted on walls, roofs, and upon high'supportlng structures in which the lremovable display panel may be lowered from the structure itself to a position convenient to the ground for servicing.

Afurther object of the invention is to pros 4vide a posterpanel `with a removable display panel which, if mounted where high winds may endanger it, the removable display panel can be lowered to reduce'the area exposed to the wind and thus'avoid the possibility of destruction by wind-storms.

Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a poster panelin 'which theremcvable display panel cannot only ybe lowered from its display position toa servicing position convenient to the ground butin which the display panel itself may be detached from the frame on which it is supported and carried away from the poster panel for servicing or for replacement.

In the use of poster panels, commonly known as billboards, a difiicult problem of servicing arises from vthe fact that the display panel of the poster panel is normally `.located at some height A i claim. (01.40-)

2 above the ground and is inaccessible unless approached by a scaiiold 0r the use of long-handled tools. The display upon a poster panel is easily replaced by repainting the surface of the display panel or by applying prepared printed advertising material thereto with suitable adhesives or other means of attachment. Frequently the problem of servicing is further complicated by thefact that the poster panel is mounted upon the sidewall of a building and there is no area available about the poster panel to permit the erection of the scaffold or the operation with long-handled brushes or tools.

Another problem that arises in the servicing of poster panels is that' the use of paint or adhesives in replacing the display makes the soiling` of the border about the display panel quite common.

All of these problems are met by the use of the poster panel of this invention in which the display panel can be readily lower-ed from its display position within the border of the poster panel to a servicing position in which practically all of the areas of the display panel are accessible to the attendant who is required to service the display.

` These and other features of the invention will be seen from the following detailed specification read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a poster panel of jthis 'invention with the display panel in display position; f

Fig.2 is a front elevation of the poster panel `shown in Fig. 1 with the display panel lowered into servicing position;

Fig. 3 is a partial section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 'c-a of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line I 5--5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section corresponding to 'that shown in Fig. 5 of a modiecl form of the by which the poster panel is mounted upon the o ground at some height above the ground. The poster panel comprises the frame or border l2, which may be of suitable ornamental appearance, with theange I3 about its entire perimeter. Mounted within the frame or border I2 is the display panel I4 which may be of conventional panel construction and removably supported on suitable horizontal frame members I5 to give it necessary rigidity and strength.

The poster panel is constructed of suitable materials and may be supported on the horizontal supports I6 and the vertical supportsI'I. Secured to the vertical supports I1 are the pulleys I8 over which run the cables I9 by means of' which the horizontal supports I5 and the display panel I4 supported thereon are suspended. in proper position within the border I2 of the poster panel. The cables I9 arel preferably run over the pulleys and are secured to the counterweight 20 which, if desired, may be of sufficient length to reach across between the outer verti cal frame members I1 and be guided in its movements by the rails 2| secured to the Z-members 25 which are secured to the vertical frame members I1 and to the wall 26 or other support for the poster panel as best shown in the details of Figs. 3-5.

Secured on the back of the display panel are the Z-clips 22 which override the rails forming part of the vertical frame members I1 and maintain the display panel I4 in its normal plane with respect to the remainder of the poster panel.

The display panel I4 has secured to it the clips 21 which are so formed as to permit the display panel I4 to be hung on the horizontal supports I5 and maintained there by the weight of the display panel.

If desired, the poster panel may be fitted with a retainer channel 24 to receive the upper edge of the display panel when it is moved upwardly in display position and to protect the display panel from any unnecessary flow of rain from the upper portion of the border I2 over the display panel.

The modied form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is designed for use where the poster panel is mounted on roofs or high framework structures and it is desired to make provision for lowering the display panel a substantial distancebelow the poster panel for servicing. c

Referring to the drawing, the poster panel is here shown mounted on the frame |26 which may be of conventional structural elements. Because the range of movement of the display panel is much greater than in the other forms of the invention shown provision must be made for counterweights which have a corresponding range of movement or, as shown in the drawing, the cables IIS may be run over a sheave |21 which has a crank |28 and a pawl and ratchet mechanism |29 by which the movement of the cables and the raising and lowering of the display panel ||4 can be controlled.

Obviously, the proportions and. dimensions of the various structural elements disclosed in the illustrative embodiment herein shown can be modified over a wide range and a wide variety of materials may be employed in the construction of the invention. The number and location of the various structural elements may also be varied in number, size and form.

Method of operation All that is required in the use of the poster panel of this invention is that the operator apply suiflcient force to the display panel to pull it from its display position shown in Fig. 1 to the servicing position lshown in Fig. 2. Because of the counterweight 20 this can be done quite readily and locking means (not shown) may be provided, if desired, to lock the display panel in either its servicing or itsdisplay position.

While the servicing is being attended to upon the display panel in its lowered position, both because of the accessible disposition of the display panel and because the display panel covers the lower member of the border I2, the possibility of soiling or defacing the permanent border I2 of the poster panel is greatly reduced.

When the servicing has been attended to, the display panel may be readily restored to its display position merely by pulling downwardly upon the counterweight 2U or lifting upwardly on the display panel I4.

If it is desired to remove the display panel I4 for replacement with another panel or for servicing at a location removed from the location of the poster panel structure, the panel I4 which is suspended on the horizontal frame members I5 by means of the clips 21 may be lifted free of the frame member and carried away from the location and, if desired, replaced by a similar display panel. Obviously if this is done,fsome means must be employed for sustaining the counterweights while the interchange is effected.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 where it is desired to lower the display panel, it is only necessary to release the pawl and ratchet mechanism |29 and by means of the crank |28 the cable can be unreeled from the sheave |21 and the display panel I|4 thereby lowered whatever distance is required. Obviously, in a structure of that character it is necessary to provide means to release the guide clips 22 (shown in Fig. 3) from the vertical supports I1. This may be done by making suitable provision at the base of the verticalsupports I1 so that the Z-clips 22 may clear the adjacent parts of the structure and slide free of the guide rails or by making the Z-clips 22 rotatable so that they may be turned free of the vertical supports I1.

Any of these structures lends itself readily to lowering of the display panel from its display position at any time that high winds endanger the poster panel such as when the panel is mounted in an exposed location on the roof of a building or on a high or exposed framework. This problem does not arise when the poster panel is mounted against a wall. In the event that it is desired to lower the display panel to protect the structure against high winds, the same method of operation is employed as when the display panel is lowered for servicing purposes.

Having thus shown and described two embodiments oi the invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claim, in which it is intended to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What is claimed is:

A poster panel comprising, a stationary border, a frame work for the border including a plurality of vertical frame members, a movable display panel within and in front of the stationary border, a plurality of pulleys secured to the upper portion of the frame work, a plurality of cables secured to the display panel and engaging the pulleys by which the display panel may be moved from a display position within and in front of the border to a Vservicing position below the display position, and guide means carried by the back of the display panel for slidably engaging the vertical frame members for guiding the movement of the display panel between display and servicing positions.

ALEXANDER L. BAUERS.

MAX ROSNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Woernle Jan. 18, 1910 Neil et a1 Oct. 25, 1921 Fischer Feb. 2, 1926 Coffey Dec. 17, 1928 Schwab Feb. 11, 1930 Doering Aug. 9, 1938 Paullet May 20, 1941 

